Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to drinking containers, and more particularly to a drinking cup that includes a spinner mechanism for the amusement of a person drinking from the drinking container.
Description of Related Art
People, especially children, desire new and interesting ways to enhance routine tasks such as drinking. Children sometimes need incentive to consume healthier liquids. Retailers need new ways to entice buyers and promote brands.
People, and children in particular, enjoy interactive, dynamic devices that move. Prior drinking devices have been developed for enhanced entertainment, but they have achieved limited success in combining both low cost and maintenance with high usability, safety, and entertainment value.
The prior art teaches various children's cups that include spinners for the enjoyment of the child drinking from the cup.
Goldfarb, U.S. Pat. No. 2,544,594, for example, teaches a spinner housed in a cup lid. The spinner includes a top surface with decorated figures and the like, and a bottom surface with a plurality of vanes that extend downwardly from the spinner. A liquid input sprays a liquid from the cup upwardly against the vanes of the spinner, causing the spinner to rotate. The problem with this construction is that there is a large space formed between the spinner and the bottom portion of the lid (partially for accommodating the vanes and decorated figures), and a sump to gather the drinking liquid. This space contains air that can introduce air pockets, bubbles, and/or foam, and interfere with drinking from the cup. Furthermore, the sump may empty faster than it can be filled, or the sump liquid can be displaced when the cup is tilted, interfering with drinking.
The prior art teaches lidded cups with spinners that include vanes. However, the prior art does not teach a drinking container that includes a spinner mechanism that does not include vanes, blades, paddles, or similar structures. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further advantages as described in the following summary.